Where Will Jets’ Trade for Aaron Rodgers Rate Among Deals Involving a No. 2 Pick?

Which of those trades worked out best for the Jets? Here are three candidates:

1993 — Jets’ 1st-round pick (No. 3 overall) in ’93 to Phoenix for RB Johnny Johnson and Cardinals’ 1st-rounder (No. 4) in ’93
The greater value in this trade wasn’t Johnson, who did OK (1,752 rushing yards and six TDs, 109 receptions for 944 yards and 3 TDs) in his two seasons as the Jets’ featured back, then retired from football. It was in the fourth overall pick, which the Jets converted into Marvin Jones, who played 10 seasons, nine as the middle LB starter, and recorded over 1,000 tackles despite missing all of 1998 due to a knee injury.

2007 — Jets’ 2nd-round pick (No. 37) in ’07 to Chicago for RB Thomas Jones, Bears’ 2nd-rounder (No. 63) and 7th-rounder (No. 235) in ’07
This was an even better version of the 1993 RB/LB deal. The RB the Jets acquired was the formidable Jones, who played three seasons in green and white, compiled three 1,100-yard rushing campaigns, rushed for 28 touchdowns, and added 74 catches for 482 yards and three more TDs.

Then the Bears’ second-rounder, plus two lower picks, were traded to Green Bay, don’t you know, for the Packers’ Round 2 choice (No. 47) in 2007. That pick became LB David Harris, who, like Marvin Jones from 14 years earlier, became an underrated 10-year Jets tackling machine and defensive leader. (The seventh-round choice was spent on WR Chansi Stuckey.)

2010 — Jets’ 2nd-round pick (No 61) in ’11 to San Diego for CB Antonio Cromartie
The straight-up No. 2 pick for a No. 2 corner returned outstanding value in Cromartie, who would be considered a No. 1 corner on most teams but came to a team that already had future Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis. Still, the Reeve and Cro Show wreaked havoc on opposing offenses in 2010, the Jets’ second AFC Championship Game season under Rex Ryan, plus 2011 and ’12. Cromartie stuck around for 2013, then the duo reunited for the 2015 season. Cromartie in his first four Jets seasons had 13 interceptions and made…